Religions Matrix

Eastern Religion Elements Matrix

Hinduism Buddhism Confucianism Daoism

Countries of origin INDIA INDIA CHINA CHINA

Historical figures and events ORIGINATED IN NEOLOTHIC PERIOD FROM VEDAS(170-1100BC).IT IS AN EVOLVED RELIGION. NO SPECIFIC FOUNDER.ADISHANKARYA, RAMANUJA, CHAITANYA ARE IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS TEACHERS. GAUTAMA BUDDHA WAS THE FOUNDER IN 563BC.SPREAD BY EMPOROR ASHOKA IN 3RD CENTURY TO SRILANKA, CHINA,LATER DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTS-MAHAYANA AND THERAVADA FOUNDED BY CONFUCIUS IN 551 BC DURING ZHOU DYNASTY.INFLUENCED CHINESE POLITICAL SOCIAL AND INTELLECTUAL BEHAVOUR.LATER DEVELOPED SPIRITUAL DSCPLINE CALLED CHAN (MEDITATION) FOUNDED BY ZHUANGZI (CHUANG-TZU) WHO WAS THE DISIPLE OF LAOZI IN 4TH CENTURY AND LIEZI (LIEH-TZU)

IT INFLUENCED THE EMERGENCE OF CHINESE FORM OF BUDDHISM , ZEN

Central beliefs BELIEVES IN A CONTINUING CYCLE OF BIRTH, LIFE, DEATH AND REBIRTH. CAN ATTAIN LIBERATION FROM THIS CYCLY BY LOVE OF GOD, MEDITATION AND KARMA WHICH IS A PERSON’S ACTION AND SUBSEQUENT REACTION. FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS, WHICH IS SUFFERING IS DUE TO DESIRE. THIS DESIRE CAN BE ELMINATED BY FOLLOWING EIGHTFOLD PATH OF RIGHT ACTIONS AND VIEWS. INDIVIDUAL MEDITATIONS. BELIEVES IN RELATIONSHIPS AND DFFERENT DUTIES DUE TO DIFFERENT STATIONS IN LIFE. REVERENCE TO ANCESTORS BELIEVES IN ONENESS OF THINGS. TWO FORCES, FEMALE YIN AND MALE YANG COMBINE TO FORM ALL THINGS IN UNIVERSE. MEDITATION AND CONTEPLATVE LIFE WILL HELP IN THIS UNION

Nature of God RECOGNIZE A SINGLE DIETY AND CONSIDER OTHER GODS AND GODDESSES AS FACETS AND FORMS OF THIS SUPREME DIETY. SOME BELIEVE BRAHMA , VISHNU, SHIVA AND SHAKTI AS DIFFERENT FORMS OF A SUPREME GOD. No absolute God. Universe existed without beginning and without end.Should concentrate on own spiritual path to gain enlightenment.

DOES NOT ASSERT THE EXISTENCE OF A DIETY BUT REGOGNIZES SYNCHRONIZATION WITH TIEN (HEAVEN, ULTIMATE, TAO) DOES NOT BELIEVE IN A PERSONAL GOD BUT A FORCE WHICH EXISTED EVEN BEFORE HEAVEN AND EARTH AND WHICH EXISTS OVER ALL.

Texts VEDA( RIGVEDA,SAMA VEDA, YAJUR VEDA,ATHARVA VEDA), UPANISHADS, PURANAS, MAHABHARATA, AND RAMAYANA Tripitaka